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Israel Adesanya vs Dricus du Plessis
When Israel Adesanya confronted Dricus de Plessis in the cage last July, few could have expected the interaction to be as intense as it became.
Has the fight lost some luster since Adesanya lost the belt? Certainly.
But without a doubt no two fighters have more unfinished business in MMA in 2024 than Du Plessis and Adesanya. Should Du Plessis claim middleweight gold this month, it would set the unlikeliest of stages for such a bout. The balance of power, and the power to dictate terms, would be reversed.
Even if Strickland were to prevail in his bout with Du Plessis, it would still be a massive fight as now former champion Adesanya would be looking to return to the win-column. Considering the run of Du Plessis to stop Darren Till, Derek Brunson, and Robert Whittaker consecutively, it would remain a critical bout for both men to maintain their place at the top of the middleweight pecking order.
Sprinkle in the comments that have been made between the two and you have all the ingredients for a classic.
